News

Rates of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are affected by the racial and ethnic background of patients, a U.S. study reports, which may help to better identify people most at risk and aid in prevention. Specifically, the study found that black SLE…

Black Africans often have distinct variants of systemic lupus erythematosus compared to white patients, but conventional diagnostic tests can’t detect these variants, say researchers from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh and collaborators from Zimbabwe. Their findings point up the urgency of including specific tests to identify these disease variants, improving…

Ustekinumab as an add-on to standard of care was seen to significantly increase the number of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a reduction in disease activity compared to standard of care alone, results from a Phase 2 trial show. Patients were also less likely to experience a disease flare…

The activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is persistently high in a large proportion of patients, despite high rates of steroids and immunosuppressants use, according to a five-year study. The findings indicate gaps in effectiveness of current SLE treatments, new research has found. The research, “Persistent Disease…

To help address disparities in the research and care of adolescents with lupus, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has awarded Mercy College a three-year, $600,000 research grant. Titled “Adolescents with Lupus: The Impact of Patient/Provider Discordance, Depression, Cognition and Language,” the…

Patients with lupus nephritis — a lupus-associated type of kidney inflammation — can sometimes develop a rare immune disorder, called thrombotic microangiopathy, as a consequence of excessive activation of the complement system. Using Soliris (eculizumab) to prevent over-activation is an effective way of treating these patients, a study found. Outcomes in 11…

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who develop pneumonia have a high risk of adverse prognosis, according to a new study. The findings also revealed that common scales of pneumonia severity can misclassify cases of SLE and pneumonia as low risk. The research, “Pneumonia in patients…

Women with a history of depression have more than twice the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a two-decade prospective study from Harvard. The study, “Association of Depression With Risk of Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Women Assessed Across 2 Decades,” was published in…

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in remission for five or more years are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those with shorter remission times or who fail to enter remission, a retrospective study reports. The study, “Prolonged remission is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease…

Immune cells of the brain and spinal cord, called microglia, contribute to the cognitive deficits seen in some systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients by trimming neurons in the central nervous system, researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research suggest. Medications commonly used to treat high blood pressure – called…